San Francisco Police Kill Man Who Allegedly Carried Two Guns at SFO International Terminal; Bystander Hurt
Officers shot and killed a man reportedly armed with two firearms who advanced on them at San Francisco International Airport, and a homeless person at the scene was also injured.
By Mei Ling ·
San Francisco police officers shot and killed a man at San Francisco International Airport on Thursday morning, after he was allegedly armed with two guns and moved toward them near the international terminal.
The shooting took place at about 7:30 a.m. Police and airport officials said it followed 911 calls reporting a suspicious man inside the terminal.
SFO spokesperson Doug Yakel said in a statement that officers "attempted to de-escalate the situation, but the suspect continued to demonstrate threatening behavior." According to Yakel, police then fired less-lethal munitions "to neutralize the threat, but the individual continued to advance, at which time SFPD officers fired shots to neutralize the threat."
The man, who has not been publicly identified, was wounded and later died of his injuries.
A homeless person who was at the scene was also hurt and was taken to a hospital. Officials said that person is expected to survive. They did not make clear whether the individual was struck by gunfire.
BART service to the airport was briefly stopped on Thursday morning. It has since resumed.
The incident is the first police shooting in San Francisco in 2022. The previous one came in November, when an officer fatally shot Ajmal Amani at a residential hotel in the South of Market neighborhood. Amani was a former Afghan interpreter who had worked with the U.S. military and who suffered from post-traumatic stress disorder. Video of that encounter showed him advancing on police with a knife before he was shot.
Because the airport lies outside the city of San Francisco, several agencies are examining Thursday's shooting, including the San Mateo County District Attorney's Office, Sheriff's Office and Coroner's Office.
The San Francisco Police Department has opened an internal investigation. The city's District Attorney's Office and the Department of Police Accountability are also conducting their own probes.
City police are required to hold a public meeting within 10 days of a police shooting to share further details. No date or location has been announced for that meeting.
Source: The San Francisco Standard
